YAACOV ESTABLISHED THE EVENING PRAYER (MAARIV)
בראשית כח, יא וַיִּפְגַע בַמָּקוֹם מסכת ברכות דף כו/ב יעקב תקן תפלת ערבית שנאמר ויפגע במקום וילן שם ואין פגיעה אלא תפלה שנאמר ואתה אל תתפלל בעד העם הזה ואל תשא בעדם רנה ותפלה ואל תפגע בי
The strict law is that evening service Maariv is “reshus”, non-obligatory, and the reason is not well explained. The Gemara in Eruvin 69b, states that one that is traveling is exempt from praying for up to 3 days because one cannot have proper intention due to the worries of the way. Thus, Yaacov was actually exempt from prayer, yet he did pray. Thus, this prayer of the evening was also established as non-obligatory, just as the prototype of this prayer was not obligatory.
18 BLESSINGS OF THE DAILY PRAYER – 18 TIMES THE AVOS ARE WRITTEN IN THE TORAH
בראשית כח, יג וְהִּנֵּה ה' נִּצָּב עָּלָּיו וַיֹּאמַר אֲנִּי ה' אֱל ק י אַבְרָּהָּם אָּבִּיךָ וֵּאל ק י יִּצְחָּ ק ירושלמי מסכת ברכות דף לג/ב פרק ד הלכה ג רבי חנינא בשם רבי פנחס כנגד י"ח פעמים שאבות כתובים בתורה אברהם יצחק יעקב
T.T. cites the 18 places in Torah where their names are written together. Some say there is a 19th place in בחוקותי, but there the names are in reverse order with Yaacov first. (hint to the 19th blessing)
LEAH AND ROCHEL WERE EXACTLY ALIKE
בראשית כט , כה וַיְהִּי בַבֹּקֶר וְהִּנֵּה-הִּוא לֵּאָּה מסכת מגילה דף יג/ב דעד השתא לאו לאה היא אלא מתוך סימנין שמסרה רחל ללאה לא הוה ידע עד השתא
The word הנה indicates a new thing that was not present previously, since Leah and Rochel were so alike, and Rochel has passed the signs to Leah. The verse says that Rochel was a יפת תואר and that was the only difference between her and Leah. Thus, even their voices were the same.
YISSACHAR
בראשית פרק ל טז כִּי שָּכֹּר שְכַרְ תִּיךָ בְדוּדָּאֵּי בְנִּי וַיִּשְכַב עִּמָּהּ בַלַיְלָּה הוּא : מסכת נדה דף לא/א רבי יוחנן מאי דכתיב וישכב עמה בלילה הוא מלמד שהקב"ה סייע באותו מעשה שנאמר יששכר חמור גרם , חמור גרם לו ליששכר
Similar to Megilas Esther, the language of בלילה הוא indicates HaShem was involved, here in the birth of Yissachar.
In addition, even though Yissachar is written with two shins, it is only read with one shin. It is possible that the two shins refer to the two items of reward שכר of Leah; the reward of the הדודאים “flowers”, and the reward of giving her maid servant for the sake of the prophecy of the 12 sons.
בראשית כח, יב וְהִּנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְ צָּה וְרֹּאשוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּמָּיְמָּה
In the works of the Kabbalists, it is noted that the word סולם has the numeric value (136) the same as ממון (money). It is known that with the proper use of money (materialism) one can inherit the best of this world and the best of the world to come. And the connection is emphasized by the image of the ladder that is set in the earth and also reaches to the heavens.
בראשית כח, כ וַיִּדַר יַעֲקֹּב נֶדֶר לֵּאמֹּר אִּם-יִּהְיֶה אֱל ק ים עִּמָּדִּ י וּשְמָּרַנִּי בַדֶרֶךְ הַזֶה אֲשֶר אָּנֹּכִּי הוֹלֵּךְ וְנָּתַן-לִּי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹּל וּבֶגֶד לִּלְבֹּש :
Yaacov refers to the bare minimum of food that he needs to eat to sustain himself, and of clothes he needs to protect himself from the elements. However, when G-d promises לחם ושמלה to the convert, this implies that giving food is a great and honored amount.
In addition, the language of לחם references a wife, and the language of בגד references children. Yaacov is going in the command of his parents to find a wife and establish a family. He uses these euphemisms in order to use an honored and proper speech pattern.
בראשית כח, כא וְ שַבְתִּי בְשָּלוֹם
Shalom, implies completeness from sin, indicating that Yaacov should not learn from the ways of Lavan. Bad neighbors can cause others to sin. This is one of the allusions of the word אלול - the concept of אוי לרשע ואוי לשכנו. Yaacov requested that the completeness that he had until now should continue; and specifically, not לשלום, which would indicate a request for greatness (and not completeness).
בראשית כח, כב וְכֹּל אֲשֶר תִּתֶן-לִּי עַשֵּר אֲעַשְ רֶנוּ לָּך
Even though the mitzvah of Maaser leads to riches, Yaacov declares he has no desire for the riches, he just wishes to do this mitzvah (and all others) for the sake of Heaven. Thus, he specifically uses the extra word לך, for Your Name, and not for any other benefit that might accompany the Mitzvah.
בראשית כט , יג וַיְהִּי כִּשְמֹּעַ לָּבָּן אֶת -שֵּמַע יַעֲקֹּב בֶן -אֲחֹּתוֹ וַיָּרָּץ לִּקְרָּאתוֹ וַיְחַבֶק -לוֹ וַיְנַשֶק -לוֹ וַיְבִּיאֵּהוּ אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ וַיְסַפֵּר לְלָּבָּן אֵּת כָּל-הַדְ בָּרִּ ים הָּאֵּלֶה:
The Medrosh tells us that Lavan ran to greet Yaacov, remembering the riches that Eliezer, the servant of that same house brought with him. First, Lavan saw Yaacov alone without riches on the animals. Then, he hugged him thinking the riches were in his clothes, but they were not. Then, Lavan kissed him, thinking the riches were in his mouth. However, Elifaz had taken all his money in order to fulfill the request of his father to kill Yaacov (a poor man is considered as if dead). And Yaacov now tells Lavan את כל הדברים האלה – נוטריקין – אל תאמר כי לא הבאתי דבר, ברב רכוש י צאתי מביתי הלך אליפז לקח הכל (Do not say that he did not bring out anything; rather he went out with a lot of property, but Elifaz took it all from him)
בראשית כט , ל וַיֶאֱהַב גַם-אֶת -רָּחֵּל מִּלֵּאָּה
Yaacov also loved Rochel for another reason, the reason “from Leah”, that which Rochel did for Leah. (Rochel passed the signs to Leah in order that she should not be embarrassed). Thus, due to the act of kindness and expression of her soul, Yaacov now fully appreciated and loved Rochel.
